This invention relates to a DC/AC converter for supplying a gas and/or vapour discharge lamp. The converter comprises two input terminals which are to be connected to a DC-voltage source. These two input terminals are interconnected by a first series circuit comprising a first switching element and a second switching element, a circuit comprising a capacitor and at least two output circuits being present. The circuit comprising the capacitor is connected on the one hand to one of the input terminals and on the other hand to a first end of each of the two output circuits, and a second end of the first output circuit is connected to a junction point between the first switching element and the second switching element, while each of the output circuits is provided with connection members between which a lamp to be supplied can be connected. A is device is provided for rendering the said switching elements alternately conducting.
A known DC/AC converter of the kind indicated above has been described in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,648 06 25, 1985). This known converter is used for supplying two lamps which are connected in parallel branches.
A drawback of this known converter is that, if one of the two switching elements becomes defective, and thus remains nonconducting, both lamps will extinguish.